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“Putting a face on abortion”?

Sep 26, 2013

By Dave Andrusko

Photo: ALLISON JOYCE / Reuters

Photo: ALLISON JOYCE / Reuters

The title on the photo essay is “The women who put a face on abortion.” It appeared in DailyLife.com.au , which describes itself as “An intelligent mix of news, opinion, food, fashion, beauty, health, travel, work and relationships.”

The photos are of five American women who’d had abortions who have “have publicly posed for portraits, putting a face on a subject that is often taboo.” If you care to, you can see the photos and the women’s stories here.

The objective—besides violating a sometimes “taboo”—is to tell us that “none of them made their decisions lightly and none of them regretted their decisions.” Let’s see.

The first woman’s boyfriend was not supportive when they learned she was pregnant. The second woman, 45, had two abortions in her thirties. Her explanation winds down a number of roads but I THINK what she is saying (although she never says it specifically) is that even though she wanted at least one of the children, “not being wanted” (presumably by the boyfriend) can “do a lot of damage to a child.” She admits she finally came to the conclusion she should have “fully controlled” her reproduction but men ought to as well. The abortion debate is wrong, she implies, because “It’s almost like women enjoy having abortions. It’s like it’s a cavalier decision.”

Other examples include abortion because the pregnancy was an “accident”; a woman whose “sweetheart” boyfriend said it was her choice, but if they didn’t abort, they’d have to get married and stay together forever; and a married (at the time) woman who says, “I think I was kind of fortunate in a really sad way that it wasn’t a difficult decision.”

At the risk of stating the obvious, I don’t think these five photos/stories accomplish what they say they want done.

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Categories: Abortion
Tags: abortion